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Middletown Township, New Jersey
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Everything about Middletown New Jersey totally explained

Middletown Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census had a total population of 66,327. Middletown is one of the oldest sites of European settlement in New Jersey.
   Middletown Township was originally formed on October 31, 1693, and was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Atlantic Township (February 8, 1847, now Colts Neck Township), Raritan Township (February 25, 1848, now Hazlet Township), Atlantic Highlands (February 28, 1887), Highlands (March 22, 1900) and Keansburg (March 22, 1917).
   In 2006, Middletown was voted 50th in CNN Money's Best Places to Live.
   Middletown is part of the Bayshore Regional Strategic Plan, an effort by nine municipalities in northern Monmouth County to reinvigorate the area's economy by emphasizing the traditional downtowns, dense residential neighborhoods, maritime history, and the natural beauty of the Raritan Bayshore coastline.

History

Though small communities of Lenape Native Americans were common throughout the area, the first known European landing in what would become Middletown Township occurred in 1609, when the English explorer Henry Hudson landed along the shores of the Sandy Hook Bay. Hudson was in search of the mythical Northwest Passage in the service of the Dutch West India Company. Middletown Township was established in 1664, after the English conquest of New Amsterdam, but there was unauthorized settlement before that. The long-standing tradition had Penelope Stout, one of the first settlers, hiding in a tree from hostile Native Americans.
   During the American Revolution, Middletown and much of the rest of Eastern Monmouth County was held by the British. After the Battle of Monmouth, the British retreat from Freehold Township, New Jersey carried them down King's Highway in Middletown to their embarkation points in the bay.
   Upon the completion of a railroad junction in 1875, the town grew more rapidly, eventually changing from a group of small and loosely connected fishing and agricultural villages into a wealthy and alarmingly fast-growing suburb at the turn of the 20th century. If Middletown ever had a recognizable town center or town square, it was lost in that rapid growth soon after World War II.
   In May of 1958, several Nike Ajax missiles exploded at Battery NY-53 in Chapel Hill, killing ten Army and civilian personnel. The accident was one of the worst missile-related disasters of the Cold War.
   Middletown was extremely hard hit during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, losing 37 of its residents, among the largest number for any municipality in New Jersey. A memorial to the victims stands next to the Middletown Train Station.
   The planned Middletown Town Center is a major concern to the town, because of traffic issues, open space, etc.
   A popular landmark in the community is the "Evil Clown of Middletown", a towering sign along Route 35 painted to resemble a circus clown that currently advertises a liquor store. The sign (and recent successful attempts from residents to save it from demolition) has been featured in the pages of Weird NJ magazine, on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and in the Kevin Smith-directed film Clerks II.
   The Indian Trails 15K road race is held each year in April through the scenic hills of Navesink. The race benefits the Monmouth Conservation Foundation. There is also a 5K walk/run event for fun.

Geography and geology

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 59.3 square miles (153.7 km²), of which, 41.1 square miles (106.5 km²) of it's land and 18.2 square miles (47.2 km²) of it (30.72%) is water. Belford (2000 Census population of 1,340), Fairview (3,942), Leonardo (2,823), Lincroft (6,255), Navesink (1,962), North Middletown (3,165) and Port Monmouth (3,742) are all Census-designated places and unincorporated areas located within Middletown Township. Other areas that are part of the township are New Monmouth and Sandy Hook.
   Middletown borders Colts Neck Township, Holmdel Township, Red Bank, the Boro of Tinton Falls, Atlantic Highlands, Rumson, Sea Bright, Highlands, Fair Haven, Keansburg and Hazlet Township.
   Poricy Creek (Poricy Park, Oak Hill Road) is locally well-known for its deposits of Cretaceous marine fossils, including belemnites.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 66,327 people, 23,236 households, and 18,100 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,613.0 people per square mile (622.8/km²). There were 23,841 housing units at an average density of 579.8/sq mi (223.9/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 94.71% White, 1.21% African American, 0.07% Native American, 2.59% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.41% of the population.
   There were 23,236 households out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.3% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.27.
   In the township the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males.
   The median income for a household in the township was $75,566, and the median income for a family was $86,124 (which had risen to $88,873 and $101,747 respectively as of the 2006 estimate.) Males had a median income of $60,755 versus $36,229 for females. The per capita income for the township was $34,196. About 1.9% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 105 or over.

Government

Local government

The Township Committee operates under a special charter approved on June 23, 1971, by the New Jersey Legislature. Middletown Township is governed by a five-member Township Committee, who are elected to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor, each for a one-year term. The Township Committee establishes municipal policies and programs and appropriates funds.

Police

The Middletown Township Police Department is the largest police force in Monmouth County, with well over 100 officers.

Federal, state, and county representation

Middletown Township is split between the Sixth and Twelfth Congressional Districts and is part of New Jersey's 13th Legislative District.
   

Fire Department

The Middletown Township Fire Department (sometimes called the MTFD) consists of 11 fire companies spread throughout the town and is completely made of volunteers'. The Town even has its own air unit vehicle to help firefighters refill their air cylinders while at prolonged incidents. It is commonly stated that the Middletown Township Fire Department is "The World's Largest Volunteer Fire Department".

History

The first company to be created was the Navesink Hook and ladder Fire Company No. 1 on May 1, 1886. It was followed by Brevent Park & Leonardo Fire Company on October 16, 1903; Belford Engine Company No.1 on August 14, 1916; Community Fire Company of Leonardo on September 9, 1922; East Keansburg Fire Company No.1 in 1922; Port Monmouth Fire Company No.1 in November of 1922; Belford Independent Fire Company in 1923; Middletown Fire Company No.1 in April 1924; River Plaza Hose Company No.1 on December 8, 1927. For a time these companies accted seperatly until August 28, 1928 when all the stations were brought together to form the current fire department. since then two more companies have been formed: the Lincroft Fire Company in May of 1932 and the Old Village Fire Company on September 7, 1955.

Specialized Units

The MTFD has other special units besides the main fire companies. The MTFD has its own fire academy, Fire Police, Air Unit, Special Services including: HazMat, Confined Space Teams, and Specialized Rescue units.

Education

The Middletown Township Public School District consists of seventeen public schools, with a student population of more than 10,000. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are twelve K-5 Elementary Schools — Bayview (420 students), Fairview (338), Harmony (510), Leonardo (311), Lincroft (450), Middletown Village (397), Navesink (255), New Monmouth (500), Nut Swamp (533), Ocean Avenue (340), Port Monmouth (226) and River Plaza (318) — three grade 6-8 middle schools — Bayshore (717), Thompson (935) and Thorne (872) — and two high schools for grades 9-12, Middletown High School North (1,692) and Middletown High School South (1,435). Four elementary schools feed into each of the three middle schools. The facilities vary in age, architecture, size, and student population.
   Along with public education, Middletown Township is home to two private high schools. Christian Brothers Academy is an all boys College preparatory school with a focus on Christian education run by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, located in Lincroft. Mater Dei High School is a four-year Catholic coeducational high school located in the New Monmouth section.
   There are also two parochial grammar schools, Saint Mary in New Monmouth and Saint Leo the Great School in Lincroft.

Transportation

Major Roadways

Exits 109 and 114 of the Garden State Parkway's are located in Middletown Township, which provides easy access to the New Jersey Turnpike, New York City and the state of New York. Routes 35 and 36 pass through Middletown. Three toll gates are located in Middletown. Two of them are at Exit 109 (northbound entry, southbound exit), and one at Exit 114 (northbound entry). CR 520 passes through Middletown. 520 turns into CR 612 (at its western end), which then leads to Exit 8A of the New Jersey Turnpike. This makes CR 520 a connector between Shore Points/Garden State Parkway (Exit 109 in Middletown Township) and the New Jersey Turnpike at Exit 8A in Monroe Township.

Public Transportation

New Jersey Transit's, North Jersey Coast Line which runs from New York City's Pennsylvania Station to Bay Head, New Jersey has a rail station in Middletown. New Jersey Transit is a major commuter rail system which operates throughout of the New York metropolitan area, operating on routes under the shared operation of CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway. NJ Transit also offers bus service, which stops many places throughout Middletown.

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Middletown Township include:
Further Information

Get more info on 'Middletown New Jersey'.


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